


The Weight Of Dust And History Books (Make Citizens Out Of Rebels)

by mihrsuri



Series: Hunger Games: Year One [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: 1st Hunger Games, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Female Character of Color, Gen, Origin Story (of sorts), Pre-Series, building an authoritarian regime, decent people having to make horrible choices, denial of cultural identity, the revolution will be long term
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-28
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-03-09 10:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3246986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mihrsuri/pseuds/mihrsuri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was after the first games that it changed. Because making it so obviously a punishment had simply bred more defiance and rebellion. Taking the children of the most rebellious had not cowed them. It had made things worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Weight Of Dust And History Books (Make Citizens Out Of Rebels)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rocknlobster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocknlobster/gifts).



There will always be things she'll never know. Songs and stories that have no background anymore - references to clothes that make no sense and remain simply an arrangement of fabrics. The Capitol doesn't know either (the Capitol doesn't know because the Capitol both erased the knowing and is entirely invested in and uninterested in knowing). But Sapphire can still listen, can still read, can still sing and sew. 

She listens to her grandmother singing songs in the tongue her mother taught her (her mother and father will sing as well, when they hear) and learns the words and phrases in pieces (her grandmother will not teach her the meanings - she says it is dangerous enough, learning the songs). She traces the letters of a book her mother and father say is holy and wishes she could learn the prayers, the stories (she does not, cannot - even in District 1 it is dangerous enough that she knows this book is holy and this language and that language. 'Farsi and Hebrew' her father tells her). 

Sapphire always knew it had to be a secret. You could have a secret, prior to the rebellion. Especially in District 1. If you were discreet about it, you could get away with a great deal in your own home. It's how she gains another name, one that isn't Sapphire. 

"Esther Parisa" her father tells her. "Your mother and I wanted you to have that"

Sapphire writes out the name over and over again and then shreds the pieces of paper. It's the only way to be. Even before the rebellion it is the only way to be. Even in District One (maybe especially in District One, so close to the Capitol and often visited by Capitol citizens) it is how you have to be. So Sapphire is Sapphire and traces her other names where no one can see it. 

In public she smiles and delights her teachers with her artistic skills. She loves fabric best of all, though. The way you can tell stories through the arrangement of colours, of texture and folds. The way you can bring the past to life and combine patterns and ornaments. Because of this, she's allowed more books than most people - historical costume books and fashion plates and even patterns. The Capitol coos over her skill and orders flood in. 

But there are still fabrics and stories she wishes she knew. There always are. Upon graduation she's summoned to the Capitol - they want her to design costumes for an historical costume drama and so she goes, smiling and hating every single one of them. But Sapphire has always known how to hide and so she is calm and still and sews beautiful clothes and beautiful hats and finds out more than anyone knows. It's how her father the mayor can shelter dissidents and smuggle forbidden news. It's how they've always lived, her family. 

When the rebellion comes no one even thinks she knows. 

Afterwards, she wishes they had found out. Maybe it might have been better that way, to have a clean death.


End file.
